it's really the big question that senator reid has to do because i'll tell you, they're not going to get the republicans they need to make this rules change. >> you know, senator, back in 1957 when nixon was vice president, he tried to do this from the vice president's chair. he tried to declare the senate a new body, like the house is a new body every two years, a new congress. and he tried to do it. it was the democrats who backed up the segregationists, and they defeated him. he tried to do this single-handedly. what do you think are the odds of you winning this one? >> i think the odds are fairly good, and the reason why is that each time there's been a ruling in the past, it's been actually in favor of the constitutional option or as a constitutional issue it's been put to the body and the body has then -- for example, in 1975 voted that, indeed, 51 could change the rules. that set the stage for a negotiation. so there is the possibility that if 51 are in place and ready to act, that we will be able to persuade republicans, look, you have concerns. you want to be able to do amen